How to Develop Out-of-the-Box Thinking, Part 2 - Student Centered Creative Learning
Lessons from 20 years of researching and teaching creative thinking
By Harry Vardis
How to make every person in the room feel important
The students or participants are made to feel that they are the center of attention, not the faculty.
This is an attitude which the faculty develops through extensive sharing and warming up among themselves prior to starting the course. Each student is treated with respect and professional courtesy which they deserve because they are all professionals.
1. Listen and show interest to all the students
A professor of mine used to say that the first time you teach a course is pure terror, the second is interesting and the third is boring! I am not sure how many times you need to teach the class before it becomes boring, but the fact is that for the students it is ALWAYS the first time.
And because it is the first time, it is inevitable that they will have questions, comments, suggestions and most of these comments will have to do with their learning styles.
We do believe that no matter how hard the material is, you can make it interesting and easy to learn if you match the materials to everyone’s style.
Style has to do with the way people process information: There are auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners and when we teach our courses, we make sure that we use all styles so that all students are taken care of.
2. Give and expect respect from all of them
As the students are greeted at the door it is done on a first name basis. Also, be very careful to respect confidentiality. Sometimes you may have to be a teacher, others to be a father or a mother and yet others to be a good friend. Above all be a great coach and you will have their respect. Dignity is what everyone wants, and they may ask for it in their own individual ways. Just listen, observe and feel!
3. Celebrate all the emotions they experience
During the course, the students go through many emotional spaces, by design. Creativity is an outcome that is based not only on process, people and environment but also on emotions.
Sometimes these emotions are emotional roller coasters and we are prepared for it. Others, they are just flat spaces of confusion.
It is very important to acknowledge and openly admit these emotions so that everyone knows that they are common in the room and they are not exclusive to any one individual at any given time. Celebrate them, talk about them and move on including them in the room.
Creative Focus is a consulting services and facilitation company that specializes in improving team dynamics and addressing challenges requiring creative solutions.
Don’t miss our next blog:
PART III – Empathy and Creative Problem Solving